Every transaction is made by a consumer with powerful desires and needs. When these needs are deeply understood and embraced, human brands open a brave new world of retail opportunities.
A human brand is a store that understands its customers not as transactions, but as relationships influenced by memories, associations and emotions. The human brand gives more than it asks for and wants each interaction and transaction to make us better. It gives both an introduction and a confirmation that we are special, smarter, respected and listened to in new ways. It makes us healthier without us asking it to, and it makes us happier for the same reason. Done right, the human brand works at a subconscious level to make emotional connections before we are fully aware of them and at every transactional level.
Convenience stores have the benefit of daily errand path and recurring physical needs: gas, electricity, food, drinks. This combination, synced up with the benefits of technology and speed and leveraged with human brand understanding, is a very potent playground.
Which emerging companies do human brand well and are learning extremely fast?
Green Zebra of Portland, Ore. is squarely in the convergence of convenience, health, community, great food and beverages built in the urban c-store fabric. This is a huge and growing market potential done right and through the power of brand with a spot-on regional flavor.
At Green Zebra, the emphasis is on fresh, local food, discounts for bikers and crafted presentations. The store’s focus on customer creation is visible through add services such as pre-ordering, catering and delivery as well as customer retention through connections and daily routine convenience. A full coffee bar and inexpensive curated wines in store add to the drivers of a regular visit and a proactive anticipation of the customer need for speed, convenience and delight.
Cepsa and Repsol gas stations and c-stores from Europe have consistently challenged and evolved the preconceptions of the fuel food market. A few examples:
- Rapid electrical charging stations
- Vespa tailored c-stores and sipping stations
- Stunningly beautiful fuel canopies that serve as brand beacons and places of civic pride
When was the last time the average consumer talked about a local gas station design in loving terms?
Amazon Go is a new example of a human brand. The brand amplifies the message of “fresh, chef prepared and local.” Local produce trucks fill the area for the view of every approaching morning customer. The convenience aspect of the payment systems is downplayed to the level of commodity, long after the freshness of great locally and chef prepared food is on show. The result: simplicity, reward, delight and a sense of the world duly revolving around the customer instead of simply a cold technology and speed story.
For more ways to connect the human brand through speed and technology please connect with us. HARBOR Makes Innovation Relevant.
This post is sponsored by Harbor Industries